bangles - doll revolution

As fer the Bangles, I saw this in the used bin already and nearly grabbed it. Too bad if it's disappointing.

...and a new album!

http://www.thebangles.com/images/280_Sweetheart_of_the_Sun-cover-APPROVED_2_.jpg

Like it on first listen.

It's kinda... country!

http://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/842693/the-bangles-susanna-hoffs-talks-past-present-and-future

Listening to this on Spotify. On first listen, it's a heck of an improvement over "Doll Revolution." (And better than the new Matthew Sweet, too.)

Holy cow, it closes w/a cover of The Nazz's "Open My Eyes."

I'm only halfway through, but I'm liking what I hear. "Ball 'n' Chain" is straight up country, and you can hear a country influence in "I'll Never Be Through With You" as well. Their harmonies are still so great.

Yeah, I was just gonna note the Nazz cover. Most of this sounds pretty nice, a little CS&N-y in places, but I guess thats in keeping with the California rock theme.

Not bad. The songwriting is pleasant. I only hear the cracks when they take solo turns.

"Anna Lee" is so good. The bridge toward the end with the vocable singing is a great 'going the extra mile' moment. Very moving.

Such depth to this album! A lifetime's allegiance to an aesthetic and it's all there as the "bubbling underpinnings" (to quote Meltzer) of a rich creative process.

I want to believe the Bangles have it in them to make another good album. Although I'm suspicious of pinning the evil of eighties crossover on record company machinations, in the Bangles case it certainly ruined a quarter of Different Light and most of Everything, especially when the good Peterson-Hoffs songs on All Over the Place and DL were as wise and surprising as any indie band's. I need to hear this: these women should have something to say about being over forty.

i dig it. i'd call it their equivalent to fleetwood mac's "say you will"

i'd like to hear them do the entire of the first nuggets LP

Yes, yes, yes.

I can't believe that a lot of these songs were just sitting around all this time. This album is a really nice surprise.

it's a good album. doll revolution wasn't bad either. but this one is better, despite there being no michael steele on bass (I don't think her lack of songwriting is really that big a deal).

Quality-wise they're late-blooming songwriters, but bloom they continue to do, in sunshine and smog, incense and peppermints and kid bills (bloomin' reality's in there too). "I'll Never Be Through" with you is an excellent choice for the first single (O Susanna). Sweetheart of the Sun and Doll Revolution are both currently streaming on http://www.myspace.com/thebangles I'm finding more and more albums posted posted on artists' MySpaces, btw.

Anyone else listening to Hoffs' new solo album?

Because it's very, very good. My favorite record I've heard this year so far.

Reviewed it a couple of weeks ago. There are a few rhymes that are just distractingly poor (on "Picture Me," in particular), but it really is just a lovely album. Her voice sounds better on it than on either of the two post-comeback Bangles albums, and there's no faulting the construction or arrangements on any of the songs. Not my favorite album of the year, but I'll second "very, very good."

Where is your review, Jon?

Long interview with SH here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcJl3nxkyXw

Sweet video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SCVz-Kn3xEs

Eight years now since Sweetheart of the Sun, seven since Someday.